Day of Sunshine, Barges, and Big Questions

Today can only be described as glorious. If every day on the river were like this, I’m convinced everyone would be doing what we’re doing. After three straight days of wind and wet, this calm, sun-drenched stretch felt like a gift. We strung up a full clothesline to dry out our soggy gear, yes, we looked like a third-rate shanty town, but with no one around but tug captains, who’s judging?

Speaking of tug captains, Peter and I have a theory: somewhere, a massive grain deal must’ve gone down. We counted 19 northbound tugs today, each pushing 35 empty barges. That’s 665 empty barges in total. To put it in perspective, one barge full of soybeans displaces about 60 fully loaded semis. So those empties? They represent the potential to take nearly 40,000 trucks off the highway. And the best part? Once loaded, Mother Nature does most of the work, gravity and current carry the cargo downstream, with the tug simply guiding the way.

You’ll see in the photos that we passed the Viking Mississippi. Out of curiosity, I looked up the cost of cruising from New Orleans to Saint Paul on one of these floating palaces. Let’s just say… it’s not cheap. And oddly enough, every time we spot one, it’s parked at a casino. I’m sure that’s not the whole itinerary, but from our vantage point, it seems like a recurring theme.

If all goes well tomorrow, Hazel will officially become a commercial vessel. I’ve submitted the paperwork to allow her to refuel at a diesel barge typically reserved for tugboats. Fingers crossed we’ll be able to top off in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

That brings me to a modern marvel: Hazel’s Starlink Mini. Without it, much of what we’ve accomplished wouldn’t have been possible. Cell service is spotty to nonexistent along big stretches of the river, so we’ve relied heavily on Starlink and our trusty VHF radio to stay connected and informed.

As of today, we’ve got the great state of Mississippi off our port side and the spicy, soulful state of Louisiana off our starboard. The geography alone makes you feel like you’re straddling two worlds.

Peter and I have had plenty of time to reflect on this journey, and we’re deeply grateful for every moment. One observation we both made, independently, interestingly enough, is that ever since we left Minnesota, we haven’t seen a single piece of trash on the river or its banks. No plastic bottles, no Styrofoam coolers, no rogue barrels or cans. Nothing. It’s pristine.

It makes you wonder: why is that? And what does it say about where we’ve been, and where we’re headed?

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A gentle beginning to what promises to be a lovely day.

As we venture into the southern stretch of the Mississippi, the landscape transforms, lush greenery begins to dominate the view. It’s a striking shift. And here’s something I’ve never seen before: pine trees growing straight out of pure sand. It’s subtle, almost easy to miss, but absolutely remarkable.

Our boat is equipped with AIS (Automatic Identification System), which lets us identify every vessel we encounter along the way. I’ve shared a few screenshots before, but here’s a great example: the Viking Mississippi cruise ship, clearly visible on our AIS display. The system provides real-time data on a vessel’s direction, speed, and. if we’re on a potential intercept course, it even calculates the timing of that pass. For river navigation, AIS is an absolute must-have.

This house stopped me in my tracks, I had to capture it. It instantly made me think of Larry and Shelley, my brother- and sister-in-law. I could just picture them sitting on that porch, watching the Mississippi drift by, soaking in the peace and the view.

So many people have played a role in making this journey a success, but I want to give a special shout-out to Larry. Two of his contributions have become daily essentials: first, the military-grade flashlight. Without it, we never would’ve made it through St. Louis at night, it’s an absolute powerhouse. And second, the rigger’s knife. That thing sees action almost every day, whether it’s slicing rope or solving some unexpected problem on deck. Both tools have been indispensable, and we’re grateful for them, and for Larry.

Another quick shout-out to my wife, a proud board member of Jesus Driven. She gifted me a sweatshirt that’s been through thick and thin, and I’ve just about worn it out. Peter snapped a great photo of me wearing it while climbing into Hazel, and it’s become one of my favorite shots from the trip.

And finally, I just want you, and our readers, to take in how truly glorious the day was. The clouds were picture-perfect, the sky a brilliant blue, and the water lay flat and calm, reflecting it all like glass. It was one of those moments that makes you pause and simply appreciate.